Healthy living, unfortunately, takes more effort than many are willing to put in, and many opt for instant results (see sidebar). Slimming centers often prescribe a course of medication, some of which may be harmful, while even more drastic is liposuction - the removal of fat through surgery.

The WTW program works on education and changing the mindset of people to adopt healthier habits. "We see that all over the world there are many ways people try to lose weight - pills and potions and quick fixes like that," says Kirchhoff.

"The problem with those ways is they often have people doing something for a period of time before they go back to their old life with predictable results."

Obesity: A clear and present danger

Obesity in China is on the up and more than a quarter of its population is overweight or obese, according to a study published last year.

The August issue of Health Affairs revealed that China is second only to Mexico in the rate of increasing adult obesity as Chinese add more meat and dairy products to their diet.

The study claims the traditional Chinese diet rich in vegetables, whole grains and good carbohydrates with minimal animal-sourced food no longer exists.

Providers of weight-loss solutions are laughing all the way to the bank as the nouveau riche, men and women alike, notice their once-svelte figures slipping away and seek to buy solutions to their weight issue blues.

Liposuction

The most drastic of weight-loss methods, liposuction is the surgical removal of fat from different sites on the body, typically the abdomen, thighs and buttocks. The procedure is performed under general or local anesthesia and about 5 kilograms are removed.

The procedure, which costs anywhere between 20,000 yuan (US$2,933) and 40,000 yuan, is fraught with complications and can cause wrinkled, sagging skin where the fat was removed.

Exercise is then necessary. Weight gain can again put those pounds around the middle, nullifying the fat removal. There are also risks of infection and other side effects, some potentially life-threatening.

Slimming centers

These use a combination of diet programs, exercise, body sculpting, vitamins, supplements and appetite suppressants to facilitate weight loss, with costs varying on the amount of product bought.

Some of these centers promote unscientific products, and many people find their weight returns to "normal" after leaving the prescribed programs.

Eating right and proper exercise

The best things in life, as they say, are free, and perhaps all one needs is to stay focused and motivated to live right. If the only vegetables you see come in a hamburger or in the oil your chips are soaked in, then, Houston, we have a problem.

You don't even need a fancy gym, although the many on offer are good value these days. All you need is a good pair of trainers that fit, comfortable clothes and a love for the outdoors. Or how about trying sit-ups while watching telly? The possibilities are endless.

(Shanghai Daily May 7, 2009)